Preview — TUNNEL / The Lost Diary
by Steven Nedelton

TUNNEL / The Lost Diary

In a dark, musty, derelict coal mine tunnel, a young boy and an AWOL officer search for stolen Army pistols and a gold coins treasure. Over a decade later, they are hunted by foreign agents. A foreign country wants a diary stolen with the gold back.

Gruesome killings in Forks, MO. What mystery does the diary hide? Is the deadly shootout in Chicago's 'TUNNEL / The Lost Diary

In a dark, musty, derelict coal mine tunnel, a young boy and an AWOL officer search for stolen Army pistols and a gold coins treasure. Over a decade later, they are hunted by foreign agents. A foreign country wants a diary stolen with the gold back.

Gruesome killings in Forks, MO. What mystery does the diary hide? Is the deadly shootout in Chicago's 'The Four Seasons' hotel linked to it? Does the coded text hide the U.S. Government secrets? Will the text be aired on CNN?

Read "TUNNEL / The Lost Diary," find out...

NOTE: Like my other books, this book will be or is available in print and Kindle formats....more

“Tunnel/The Lost Diary” is a complicated novel with a generous number of plot threads and what seems like a huge cast of characters. Basically, the premise involves the closing days of World War II and the Russian Army in the time of Stalin. A superior Russian officer orders two suitcases of gold to be well-concealed in an abandoned mining tunnel in Latvia, which at that time suffered under Russian occupation. The subordinate officer who transports the suitcases knows they contain gold, and late“Tunnel/The Lost Diary” is a complicated novel with a generous number of plot threads and what seems like a huge cast of characters. Basically, the premise involves the closing days of World War II and the Russian Army in the time of Stalin. A superior Russian officer orders two suitcases of gold to be well-concealed in an abandoned mining tunnel in Latvia, which at that time suffered under Russian occupation. The subordinate officer who transports the suitcases knows they contain gold, and later returns to the mine tunnel to retrieve them, where he is spotted by a fourteen-year-old boy, Bendis. As Bendis’ father is a veterinarian, the officer, Andris, turns to him for help, setting a scheme in motion that carries on to 1962, with murder, theft, and the involvement of two governments, Soviet and U.S.

The suitcases are valued for more than just the supposed millions in gold, and it is the extra component that propels the plot and causes murders, threats of scandal, and other violence. The ending leaves the reader with the question whether this is intended to be a cliffhanger, with a sequel to follow, or just an open conclusion.

Acquired from author July 23 in return for a fair and honest review, via The Nexus Gr0up...more

Tunnel: The Lost Diary by Steven NedeltonInteresting story but, frequent geographical and temporal switches between the last year of WWII in Latvia and modern days USA without any lead-in made for slow and confusing reading. Further, the book was full of typographical errors, (i.e. words run together, wrong small word used, etc.) which also reduced reading speed and understanding. Sections were added that I never understood the significances of. For instance, Ben's early Pugilistic successes. WhTunnel: The Lost Diary by Steven NedeltonInteresting story but, frequent geographical and temporal switches between the last year of WWII in Latvia and modern days USA without any lead-in made for slow and confusing reading. Further, the book was full of typographical errors, (i.e. words run together, wrong small word used, etc.) which also reduced reading speed and understanding. Sections were added that I never understood the significances of. For instance, Ben's early Pugilistic successes. Why was so much detail given to this aspect of Ben's life and how did it add to the story? Certainly, the immigrant story and the necessity of hiding the shared source of their wealth, contributed to the social value of the story. The contrasts between two separate families adaption in their new environment was also instructional. I was most disappointed in the ending. Who shot or struck FBI agent John Holt in the head? Was he killed? Why was the Blue Diary never decoded? What was in the diary that demanded the death of so many players? Is the high placement of a traitor in the FBI administration willing to disrupt the Blue Diary investigation believable? I felt the ending left too many questions for the reader to answer and would have preferred for the loose ends to be tied up neatly with an author supplied conclusion. Definitely not one of those books where a reader may anticipate where the story is going. You would be unlikely to fully understand where the story travel even after reading it. ( )...more

A lone encounter in a dark, dank and cold coalmine tunnel filled with dust, black soot, dirt and air so stifling that it can fill a man’s lungs and constrict his breathing. One young teen named Ben ventured inside this dangerous tunnel in search of weapons but what he encounters and the end result would change his life forever. In this dark tunnel Ben would meet an AWOL soldier and form an unholy alliance setting off a chain of eThe Lost Diary: TunnelAuthor: Steven NedeltonReviewed by Fran Lewis

A lone encounter in a dark, dank and cold coalmine tunnel filled with dust, black soot, dirt and air so stifling that it can fill a man’s lungs and constrict his breathing. One young teen named Ben ventured inside this dangerous tunnel in search of weapons but what he encounters and the end result would change his life forever. In this dark tunnel Ben would meet an AWOL soldier and form an unholy alliance setting off a chain of events that will rock the inner core of his world and many others. From his old village and now into the present in Forks, Minnesota, Ben would learn what was in those suitcases that would cause so many deaths.

But, let’s recap just a bit as our skillful author introduces our main character, Ben recounts his past and his rise to becoming a success in the field of sports. Ben did not want to spend his days milking cows, in school and doing farm chores. He had bigger aspirations as author Steven Nedelton related. His goal: Getting rich, poverty not an option. Becoming a boxer required determination, drive and skill which young Ben needed or he would not succeed. As time progresses Ben develops more than determination and defeats major opponents becoming boxing champion but on the night of his major win, his father is murdered and things begin to change for him and his family.

When Ben learns of his father’s death he and his mother are forced to leave their farm She turns to a dear friend in Chicago and he takes a different route. With the FBI close at hand decisions had to be made and delays not an option.

But, Ben learns more than just the truth when he opens a sealed envelope containing a letter from his father as his mother embarks on her own life eh would soon learn more about his. As the story about the money, his father’s friendship with Andris is revealed Ben learns the hard facts about what started this chain of events, where his father’s money came from and what he has to do next. Three friends made a pact to share a bank account, its worth and two are now dead. Ben stands to inherit his father’s share but will he live to get it?

In 1945 a huge amount of gold was stolen from a bank in Riga. The FBI has linked the money to Ben’s father and his two friends. The link is both men are Latvian and are brutally murdered. Andris, the AWOL soldier is now involved with Ben’s mother where he came to American with these suitcases and promised to give his father and this man Kurt equal shares. But, Ben is in danger, so is his family and Andris until they can sort out everything out, find out who is behind the murders and much more.

One FBI agent named John Holt is sent to uncover the truth. Delving into the murders of these two men will the first victim’s wife shed any light on the reason for his murder? As the second woman finds her way to Chicago and the man who started this all the AWOL solder, owner of fur salons and much more, will they help?

One woman named Mina and one friend named Beatrice appear to have some link to all of this. Just what Bea claims you won’t believe and where she fits in will astound the reader?

Enter the President of the United States and one woman named Marley. Added to that a state congressman is murdered, Holt questions the former AWOL soldier and the air becomes palpable, the tension rises and once again author Steven Nettleton creates an electrifying plot that will ignite the reader into staying glues to the printed page. As one more detail is revealed- a diary was hidden along with the money in the original bank box before it all was stolen and disappeared. While the Reds want their money back and the diary too, what will happen and what is so vital that more lives are in danger and the body count rises? Andris fears for his life, why? How will he protect himself and Ben before it’s too late? Then the body count rises including the unusual death of Congressman and lawyer, heat from the higher ups comes off and the agents are told to back off, but not all listen. As the tension rises and the stakes become higher one man named Andy Bayer seems to be in control of what happens next, the FBI questions Andris Berg, the mysterious diary appears and then you won’t believe what happens next. The plot is so intricate and the players so intertwined you won’t know which ones are on which side, which characters you can trust and which are leading double lives. Author Steven Nedelton really keeps the heat on and the suspense high as the end is about to come and the pieces just might fit in place.

The end result you just won’t believe as the diary is returned but in whose hands does it wind up? What did they finally decipher and which agents will remain alive and who will be transferred and never heard from again? As Andris Berg is eliminated in an explosion, Andy Bayer handles other problems and the end result well, that is left up to your imagination as our author ties some lose ends, tells the fate of some of the agents and demise of others and leaves definite room for a sequel. What will happen to Bens, what does someone claim was decoded in the diary? Betrayals, setups, deceit, deceptions, disloyalties and many government agents involved? Which ones are honest? Who can be trusted and will the Reds win out, the mob or the FBI? Author Steven Nedelton has once again taken the reader on many dangerous rides through many different countries; cities and one dark, dank and cold tunnel to find what someone stole many years before. This is one fast paced, well-crafted novel with many interesting characters and one young man named Bens who was caught in the middle.

“He stopped walking for a moment, beginning to wonder what the officer had brought in and where he had hidden it. Whatever it was, it was not so small that he could have missed it on his way in. He recalled that the wagon the three men were pushing was on the incoming rail, on the right hand side of the tunnel. He also figured the wagon could not have been driven any fuTunnel - Lost Diary Tunnel – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat and Think With Your Taste Buds – Desserts

“He stopped walking for a moment, beginning to wonder what the officer had brought in and where he had hidden it. Whatever it was, it was not so small that he could have missed it on his way in. He recalled that the wagon the three men were pushing was on the incoming rail, on the right hand side of the tunnel. He also figured the wagon could not have been driven any further than the next stationary wagon he could barely see in the distance. That meant the officer might have hidden his treasure somewhere near it, the contents being too heavy to carry by hand. He began running toward the next wagon…he was getting close to it when he noticed a grey iron door on right wall. He stopped running and walked over. It was fairly rusted, flush with the wall, and shaped like the opening of a dog house, three to four feet height and equally wide. There was a handle on the door and he tried to turn it, but it wouldn’t budge, going neither up nor down. He looked around the floor and found a half of a brick next to the wall…“What are we doing here, boy? Hunting for State property?” a man’s voice boomed from behind him.

Ben Kalninsh was just a kid when he watched the Soviet soldiers hide their stash in the tunnel that had not been used for several years. He just knew it had to be guns and he sure wanted one for himself. What he didn’t expect was to be caught by one of the soldiers who had decided to steal the stash for himself and go AWOL. And with the help of Ben’s father, he had a plan that would keep him safe while getting himself and his stash of gold out of the country and into America.

Ben had virtually forgotten about his encounter in the tunnel as well as the man he knew as Andris. Everyone seemed to have forgotten Andris, or so it appeared. But he was brought to light when Ben’s father and their friend and neighbor were both brutally murdered for what seemed like no apparent reason. It seems that there was more than gold hidden in the tunnel that day and the Soviets wanted that extra little find which turned out to be a diary. It also appeared they wouldn’t stop searching and killing until they had their hands on it. Why was that diary more important than gold?

The Lost Diary Tunnel takes you into the world of espionage, betrayal, lies and a lot of agents working both sides of the fence. What these people will do just to keep the Americans from knowing what’s really in the diary will scare the hell out of you. At least it did me.

TUNNEL / The Lost Diary by Steven Nedelton is a fast paced thriller set in 1960's America. The mess all starts in Latvia at the end of WWII when a soldier steals two heavy suitcases and goes AWOL. Nearly 20 years later when the soldier and his accomplices feel safe, the contents of the suitcases suddenly become very important and sought after by a number of organizations.

Nedelton keeps the reader guessing throughout the book as the plot twists and turns in several unexpected directions. My onlyTUNNEL / The Lost Diary by Steven Nedelton is a fast paced thriller set in 1960's America. The mess all starts in Latvia at the end of WWII when a soldier steals two heavy suitcases and goes AWOL. Nearly 20 years later when the soldier and his accomplices feel safe, the contents of the suitcases suddenly become very important and sought after by a number of organizations.

Nedelton keeps the reader guessing throughout the book as the plot twists and turns in several unexpected directions. My only complaint is that the ending leaves too many loose ends. But this could be corrected with a sequel. (Hint, hint, Steven.)...more

During the final days of the Second World War, Ben Kalninsh would search an abandoned coal mine tunnel for stolen guns the soldiers hid inside. Unfortunately for him, by entering the tunnel he sets into motion events which will follow him into his adult life.

Ben travels to America with his veterinarian father, Edwards, and beautiful Latvian mother, Agnes, along with his two younger brothers, where they settle in the NordTunnel/the Lost Diary Aka Suitcase Mystery

By Steven Nedelton aka Ned Stevens

During the final days of the Second World War, Ben Kalninsh would search an abandoned coal mine tunnel for stolen guns the soldiers hid inside. Unfortunately for him, by entering the tunnel he sets into motion events which will follow him into his adult life.

Ben travels to America with his veterinarian father, Edwards, and beautiful Latvian mother, Agnes, along with his two younger brothers, where they settle in the Nordic-friendly town of Forks, Minnesota. Ben is 14, tall, shy and often the brunt of the cruelty of his peers. The initial poverty of his family doesn't help. During his teen years, Ben decides upon boxing as a way to achieve the wealth he's determined to acquire. By the age of 20, he's managed to go from amateur to Pro, making more money than even he dreamt of — but his trainer claims he lacks the quality for championship — determination and the killer instinct. Ben knows better and intends to prove it. And he does just that during a fight with Europe's Swede champion.

Author Ned Stevens has a knack for dialect and his characters come alive, vividly enhancing this fast-paced novel of intrigue buried under even deeper intrigue festering and about to erupt.

Ben's excitement over beating the Swede is short-lived when FBI agents approach him with news of the murder of his father. His practical mother advises them not to tell Ben until after the fight. Special Agent Miriam Dokes and Agent Book are assigned to the case which includes the torture and murder of Edwards' Doctor turned farmer friend, Karlis Goulbis. The agents question his shaken widow, in particular, about a page from a notebook with ' RIGA' written in red and attached to Karl's body. Edwards and Agnes had lived near Riga during the war, the only connection to the deaths of the two men — so far. The agents take the relatives of the two slain men into protective custody, giving them new identities. Ben realizes it must be Karlis they are after, killing his father when he walked in on their torturous attempt to get information from his friend. When Ben decides not to leave, his mother gives him an envelope his father left for him, in the event of his death. It is sealed.

FBI agents, Tom Mansfield and John Holt speculate that Edwards and Karlis were killed for information and that there is a third man, yet unknown. Allegedly, around the end of the war, in 1945, a Russian bank was robbed of an impressive amount of gold — gold they want back and aren't too fastidious as to how they get it. FBI manager, Sawyer, has a hunch there's something much more valuable than gold stolen as well. Due to so many secret projects and so many years gone by, it’s become the proverbial" needle in a haystack". In order to find it John needs to go back to where it all started in Riga.

Author Ned Stevens writes a riveting suspense-filled thriller, spanning 17 years and involving several nations. He gets" down and dirty" while interjecting bits of ironic humor, keeping the reader turning pages as quickly as the various plots turn and twist in diverse directions. Ben, caught up in the middle of this maelstrom wishes to heaven he never gone into that cave when he was a young boy hoping to find a gun.

Be sure to check out Stevens’ other suspense books, each as tantalizing and well-written as this novel. The Suitcase Mystery will be followed by a sequel to be released in the near future. This book, highly recommended for all who enjoy intricate well-plotted suspense thrillers, will not disappoint its readers. Ned Stevens is Steven Nedelton's pen name . His other novels are Dangerous Trade, The Raven Affair, Fear!, Coma Sins/The Madness of Ben Bluman. The Author's website link is www.snedelton.com.

Starting in the 1940s and leading us to the 1960s, Steven Nedelton takes us an amazing trip through the pages of his book, Tunnel/The Lost Diary.

During World War II, Bendicks (Ben) Kalninsh, a child, would explore the tunnel of an abandoned mine with the hopes of finding a gun. He persistence pays off when he observes three soldiers, one an officer, carrying in some heavy cases and returning without them. Entering the tunnel to begin his search, Ben sets into motion actions that will haunt him lStarting in the 1940s and leading us to the 1960s, Steven Nedelton takes us an amazing trip through the pages of his book, Tunnel/The Lost Diary.

During World War II, Bendicks (Ben) Kalninsh, a child, would explore the tunnel of an abandoned mine with the hopes of finding a gun. He persistence pays off when he observes three soldiers, one an officer, carrying in some heavy cases and returning without them. Entering the tunnel to begin his search, Ben sets into motion actions that will haunt him later in life.

Now Ben has moved to Forks, MN with his family and grown into a boxer with a promising future. Then his father and a neighbor are brutally murdered and it begins to look as if the incident in the tunnel is the focal point. What was in those cases? It turns out to be gold and one diary. But what is it every one wants? The gold or the diary?

Soon the FBI and several other interested parties are on the trail. This only raises more question with no answers. Why is everyone after the diary? What is happening with the FBI? Men are being transferred. Pressure being placed to either slow down or stop the investigation. Then several of the investigators are threatened with blackmail, using evidence that was manufactured. Now the big questions are - Why? Who is next? Who can be trusted?

This was an amazing story which unfolded gradually. At first it looked like there were several stories going on but they all come together in a fascinating way. It looked like conspiracies were flourishing at all levels from law enforcement to law breakers. At the end, you have a few of your own decisions to make. Steven Nedelton leaves the reader with a lot of food for thought. His novel, Tunnel/The Lost Diary, is a rather unique read that needs to be experienced. Try it out your self and see what everyone is talking about....more